Fixed Braces for Adults and Children in Munich
For whom are fixed braces suitable?
An orthodontic treatment with fixed braces is suitable for patients from the age of nine years on, depending on the tooth change. Treatment with fixed braces is also possible for adults to move the teeth into the correct position. However, removable or invisible orthodontic treatment methods are also particularly popular with adults, as they offer aesthetic and functional advantages, especially in everyday and professional life.
Fixed Braces - Treatment procedure and duration
The first step is a detailed consultation in our orthodontics practice in the centre of Munich. An intensive examination enables us to precisely analyze the current dental situation. With the help of a 3D scan by Align®, the current dental situation is precisely recorded and is much more comfortable for our patients than the traditional dental impression. A further advantage of this scan is that you can already have a look at your corrected teeth through a computer simulation.
After the evaluation of the orthodontic findings, the individual therapy options are discussed and a treatment plan is drawn up. If you choose to have your teeth corrected with fixed braces, these will be fitted in a further session of about 2 hours. Subsequently, control appointments are necessary at intervals of about 4-6 weeks to check the tension of the braces and adjust them if necessary.
After the fixed braces have been fitted, the teeth can hurt for a few days. It usually takes about 8-12 days for the pressure-sensitive areas to subside. Until then the braces can be prepared at the irritated areas with some wax, which you will receive from us.
Fixed Braces - Types
Self-ligating brackets (Damon® braces)
The so-called Damon® - brackets were developed to enable a more pleasant and comfortable method of correcting teeth. They do not require ligatures (holding wires or braces rubbers, ) to hold the arch wire of the braces in place. This significantly reduces the friction points inside the mouth. Self-ligating brackets make use of tiny clasps that hold the wire and allow it to slide optimally. This mechanism allows for a faster and much more comfortable correction of the teeth for our patients and gives the teeth more "free space".
The forces in the Damon® system are designed in such a way that the tongue and mouth muscles help to correct the position of the teeth.Ceramic brackets
Especially in the case of braces for adults and adolescents, the aesthetic aspect is of great importance. A dental correction with ceramic brackets meets this challenge, as the tooth-colored or transparent brackets are very discreet for outsiders. Moreover, the rounded edges and smooth surfaces do not allow bacteria to settle, which is a big plus for dental hygiene.Lingual brackets
Lingual brackets (WIN®) have a particular aesthetic advantage over other braces because they are attached to the inside of the teeth and are therefore invisible to those opposite. However, at the beginning of the treatment they can interfere with pronunciation and disturb the tongue until the patient has become accustomed to the lingual brackets. The familiarization is significantly shortened by a two-phase bonding process in which the lower jaw is bonded first and 2 weeks later the upper jaw.The effect of this type of tooth correction is comparable to other systems and the brackets are adapted to the individual position of the teeth with high precision. The risk of caries is significantly reduced when a lingual treatment appliance is glued in place compared to brackets glued on the outside.
Further information
Treatment with Insignia™
By choosing Insignia™, you are opting for a customized tooth correction - with predictable results and time-saving treatment!
For fixed braces, the self-ligating, gentle brackets of the Damon® system are used. Their special sliding mechanism reduces friction losses and makes it easy to insert and change the treatment wire. Unaesthetic ligatures (rubber rings or wires) for fixing the dental wire are not necessary.
Your advantages in a nutshell:
- Optimal tooth correction through complete planning - the teeth move exactly as calculated in advance, subsequent adjustments are usually not necessary.
- See your new smile in advance - Insignia™ provides planning security, the result of your correction is determined before treatment begins. You can see your new smile in advance and express your wishes if necessary.
- Shorter treatment time - through optimized planning and individual treatment devices.
- Shorter appointments - since usually only one bow change is required, there is no need for time-consuming readjustment of the brackets.
- Optimal calculation of the occlusion (bite together) - this is important for a good function of teeth and jaw and to avoid long-term consequences such as jaw joint problems.
- Pleasant treatment due to lower pressure - thanks to individually manufactured, self-ligating Damon® brackets and optimal positioning.
- High-precision correction - horizontal or vertical slots ("channels") for the flexible treatment wires allow corrections.
Fixed braces - costs and health insurance
Public Health Insurance
Patients with public health insurance are generally entitled to necessary, sufficient and economical treatment until the age of 18, provided that their condition is of a certain severity. The so-called KIG classifications 1-5 are an indicator of the severity of a finding. If a KIG classification 3-5 is available, treatment can be requested from the public health insurance company. The KIG classifications 1 and 2 are considered too light according to the regulations and fall under the aesthetically motivated treatment, but this is not always the case, especially with the so-called overbite. We will be happy to advise you here.Statutorily insured patients who have exceeded the age of 18 are entitled to have their treatment costs covered if their findings are so serious that surgery is necessary. In other cases, the costs for orthodontic treatment are to be covered independently.
The treatment apparatuses which are covered by the statutory health insurance must by law follow the principles of economy and meet a sufficient standard. For this reason, they do not consistently conform with the most modern treatment appliances. Nor are any functional analytical services covered by the statutory health insurance.
However, statutory patients as well as privately insured patients have a right to comprehensive information about all modern orthodontic procedures, such as the preparation of scans for diagnostics and treatment with self-ligating brackets, lingual brackets or other completely individualized treatment devices. Here it is then possible to agree on extra-contractual services if the patient wishes a higher quality service. The latter can be covered by a private supplementary insurance.
Private health insurance
The selection of private health insurance companies and the contract landscape of every private health insurance company is so colorful that it is advisable to check the rates regarding orthodontics carefully.In general, it can be said that even with private insurance or aid, the treatment of children and adolescents is easier to apply for than the treatment of adults.
Since the rates are very inconsistent, our following procedure has proven to be very useful:
After an initial consultation and initial diagnosis, we will plan your treatment with the necessary effort and the desired equipment and create your individual treatment plan. You then submit this plan for approval to your private health insurance company or your private supplementary insurance company in order to ensure the extent of your reimbursement in writing and to have your personal cost transparency. Only then do we begin with the active treatment.After the fixed braces are removed - The retainer
Once the correction of the teeth has been completed, a so-called retainer, also known as a tooth stabilizer or retention device, serves to ensure long-term stabilization of the corrected tooth position.
We distinguish between fixed permanent retainers, which are permanently attached to the inside of the tooth, and removable devices, which usually only have to be worn at night.
Different initial findings of tooth misalignment require different retention concepts. Please consult with our orthodontist at the Seehofer practice.
Fixed braces - Care and cleaning
Careful oral hygiene is essential for a treatment with fixed braces. In order to avoid caries from attacking surfaces, the teeth and interdental spaces should be thoroughly cleaned regularly. In our orthodontics practice in the centre of Munich, we will be happy to advise you and give you tips on the right dental care products that you will need during the dental correction.
Fixed braces with periodontitis
The prerequisite for orthodontic treatment with fixed braces is a healthy oral situation. In the case of caries, inflammation or periodontitis, it is necessary to treat the problems in the mouth and jaw area first, before planning the correction of teeth can begin.